


The Choice

by cyberdigi



Series: Butterfly Series [2]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: M/M, Temporary Character Death, Timey-Wimey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-06
Updated: 2013-01-06
Packaged: 2017-11-23 22:31:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/627228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyberdigi/pseuds/cyberdigi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What did the TARDIS do?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Choice

**Author's Note:**

> Direct sequel to My Jack

The Choice

* _italics_ are Tardis*

_In that instant all through time and space she found them and came to them. The ones that might have what was needed to make the choice. She came to them in their youth before adult minds of logic put an end to childhood dreams. She came to them again and again to tell them about the choice they might have, knowing one day one of them will make it._

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

September 2007

God, it seemed like it hard been a hard day; to make it worse, he, like everyone else, had no idea what had happened. Those two days were a mystery that they all agreed were best left alone, but he still felt like he had been through the ringer today.

Even Jack was mildly shaken.

Jack.

The name brought peace with it. Even with Lisa, it hadn’t felt like this.

Yes, Ianto Jones knew that for him, Jack was it.

He jumped as he felt arms wind around him and he stiffened for a moment before catching Jack’s all-too-familiar scent. He leaned back, relaxing against the other man’s chest, tilting his nose towards Jack’s neck to enjoy his comforting scent.

“I thought you were trying to figure out who the mysterious Adam was?”

“Well, see, I was, but then I had this overwhelming feeling that it was best not to know. So deciding to leave it be, I asked myself, what shall I do? Why, spend the evening with my favorite Welshman of course,” Jack answered with his genuine, blinding smile.

“I’m tired.”

Jack’s smile dimmed just a bit. He lowered his head almost burying his nose in Ianto’s neck before answering, “I know, I didn’t come here for sex. Well, maybe we can indulge later, but….I have this feeling I almost lost you during our missing time. Right now I just want to hold you, spend the evening with you.”

Ianto gently pulled himself away and turned to face Jack. The other man looked shattered and worn. Bringing his arms around Jack’s neck and pulling their faces together; he kissed Jack. A deep, sweet kiss to show Jack he understood.

“Sounds like a lovely idea”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Early 1930’s

“Mummy, the shiny lady was back last night!”

“Estelle, how many times do I have to tell you it’s just a dream,” the child’s exasperated mother started before questioning, “Did she say the same things?”

“Uh Huh! Telling me about a special person.”

The child’s mother just shook her head and wondered about the dreams her daughter had.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

2007 (the same night)

They were sitting on the couch as the TV played softly, but neither was really watching it; they were mostly just sitting there enjoying and soaking up each other’s company.

Ianto was sitting between Jack’s legs relaxing against the man’s chest and shoulder. He felt like Jack was surrounding him; it made him feel safe, special, even…loved.

As the sound of rain hitting the window started, Jack spoke.

“Rain around here always fascinates me, even after so long. There really wasn’t a lot of rain on Boeshane.”

As Jack started to tell a tale of his birth world, Ianto smiled into his neck. He loved it when Jack shared these stories with him, stories of his past. He was under no delusion he knew everything about the other man’s past and doubted he ever would, but that Jack shared some of it just made his earlier feelings grow.

He lightly kissed Jack’s neck as the man was telling about the rain festivals of Boeshane and snuggled closer.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

1890’s

A young girl wakes in the dark of night to see a glowing woman standing at the foot of her bed.

“Are you going to tell me about the special person and choice again?”

The woman just smiled before beginning the words that were repeated to all of the ones with potential.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

September 2007 (same night again)

Jack suddenly became quiet as he finished a story from the Second World War.

Ianto leaned back a bit to better look at him, “What’s wrong?”

“I…I don’t know how to say this…I want to…I feel like I need to…”

“Jack, what are you talking about?” Ianto was growing concerned.

As Jack took a deep breath trying to calm himself, Ianto pointedly waited. Jack took a moment to gather his thoughts before continuing.

“Do you remember the night before we sent Tommy back?”

Did he ever. He thought at first that Jack hadn’t included him in the one’s the other man had loved in his long life. However, Jack corrected that with a look. He knew words such as “I love you” were hard, near impossible, for his lover; and that was closer than he ever thought he’d get to a declaration.

Ianto smiled, “Yes.”

“I’ve been alive a long time, have had many lovers, but just a few I can say I really…loved. I do what I can to remember everything about them. They were all special, but you, Ianto Jones, are something extra special, and I want, _need_ , to say this to you,” Jack took a deep breath before continuing, “I LOVE you.”

Ianto was stunned and all he could do for a moment was stare, then he leaned in and kissed Jack with everything he had.

“I love you too,” he said finally when they broke for air.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

1990

A little boy woke in the dead of night to see a familiar glowing woman sitting at the foot of his bed. He smiled at her, ready to listen to her tell of a special person.

She smiled at him before beginning, “You have the chance for a great thing. You have the chance to have a special person love you. If things align right you have the chance to ease this person’s pain as well, you might have the choice.”

She continued to speak for what seemed like forever. As he began to drop off, he heard her say one more thing, “Yes Ianto Jones you have the chance to have a great love.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

September 2007 (a few days later)

Weevil hunting with Jack was both fun and not fun. Jack could make almost anything fun and the after activities were _always_ fun. However, chasing down weevils in general was not fun.

As he paused to catch his breath, he thought on a topic that had, well he couldn’t really say it bothered him, more of he thought of it out of the blue. Last night he had for no reason been reminded of the dreams he had had up until he was 13 of a “glowing woman”. She would tell him about loving someone special and making a choice for him. He had thought that person was Lisa, especially in the aftermath of Canary Wharf. However, after she was gone he began to doubt that and started to believe it really was a dream like his parents always told him.

“Ianto, alright there?!” Jack shouted from the other side of the alley.

Ianto looked up and stated, “Fine, sorry Jack I was wool gathering.” He smiled as he started to come towards his lover, only to be caught off guard as a weevil came at him fast with claws ready.

There wasn’t enough time to get his gun or weevil spray. He couldn’t even move fast enough to deflect the blow. He felt an impact and then suddenly he was on the ground gasping for air and the sound of gun fire above him.

Jack was by his side at an instant; with a horrified look…it must be bad.

“Ianto! Hang On!! I’m calling Owen.”

He knew it was too late, already things were getting dark. He weakly lifted his hand to try and take Jack’s.

Jack gripped his hand like a lifeline. It was getting darker…he needed to say it one more time.

“Jack..I lo..ve…you,” he gasped out.

“No, no you can’t leave me! Not yet! Damn it! I love you! I can’t lose you yet!” Jack was crying now, all Ianto wanted to do was wipe the tears away, but he was falling into darkness.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Darkness.

Well that wasn’t wholly unexpected; Jack would tell him about what he saw while he was dead.

Damn.

He really had died. Damn it. He just hoped there really was more to it than this.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a light and he turned to face it.

The light started to take more shape as the minutes progressed, until it had the form of a golden haired glowing woman; the same woman from his dreams.

“Congratulations Ianto Jones, you are the first to have the chance to make it this far. To have the chance to make the choice.”

Ianto was flabbergasted, “I thought I dreamed you, what do you mean the first? Who are you?”

The woman smiled.

“I am called the Bad Wolf and I am no dream. I have come to all of you through time and space so those that have the potential have the chance to make this choice. You are the first in his linear time to have what is needed to have the chance to make the choice for Jack.”

“Jack?”

“Yes, he is very special to me; I would not see him suffer so. So I have sought you all out to find one who is willing to make the choice.”

Ianto was stunned; he had had it wrong, it had never been Lisa, it had always been Jack; and he should have realized, what he felt for Jack was so much more than what he had felt for Lisa.

“What choice?”

The Bad Wolf smiled, “Would you always stay by his side?”

“Yes of course, until the day I…die…but that’s not what you mean is it?”

“You are a bright one Ianto Jones,” she smiled, “Would you be willing to walk through the entirety of his life with him, as long as he revives so shall you, should you make this choice.”

This was too much.

“Why me? Why not any of the other’s he’s loved?”

“That is simple Ianto Jones; to reach this point first you have to love Jack and for him to return that love. Second, that love must be without condition on both sides. And lastly, Jack must trust you, trust you enough to at least share some of what he is with you. You, Ianto Jones, are not only the first to know about his reviving from the dead but also for him to share some of his past with.”

Ianto was shocked; it never occurred to him that he was the first to know all these things about Jack.

He knew why he was being given this choice now he had to make it. It was an easy decision to make, even if the consequences were hard.

“I would stay by his side as long as he would have me.”

“I very much doubt he would have you from his side for too long, but there are bound to be breaks,” she smiled again before becoming serious once more, “Are you sure? There are consequences and once this is done it cannot be undone.”

“I know the consequences, I’ve seen what they do to Jack, but this is what I want, to be with Jack without fear of leaving him. This is what I want.” He was resolved.

She nodded and smiled, “Then **I bring life**!”

Ianto felt a rush through him and then pain.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jack sat there cradling his lover’s cooling bloody body, crying. He should call the others, but he just wasn’t ready to deal with anyone else yet.

Too soon, he had lost him too soon. He was special damn it and he just wanted more time with him.

Suddenly he felt the body in his arms jerk and heard it gasp.

He looked at his lover’s face to see Ianto’s beautiful eyes looking back and feel a hand cupping his cheek.

“I-Ianto?” Jack stuttered tears threatening to spill

Ianto sat up and pulled his lover close whispering, “I’m back, I’m ok now.” He comforted Jack as his lover cried.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jack had been quiet as Ianto checked in with the Hub telling the others he and Jack were off duty for the night and told them to pick up the dead weevil. Jack was quiet as they went back to Ianto’s place. He was quiet as Ianto sat him on the couch and gave him a cup of coffee.

“H-How?” Jack stuttering was definitely a surprise.

“I always used to have dreams about a woman telling me about a great love. When I was in the darkness she came to me and said I could make a choice. She said she was the Bad Wolf.”

Ianto paused as Jack looked at him with shock.

“I take it that means something to you?” at Jack’s nod he continued, “She said she wanted to make you happy because she cared for you. Because you’ve trusted me with some of your secrets and that we love each other, I could choose to be with you as long as you live. How did she say it, as long as you revive so will I, I think.”

Jack buried his head in his hands and shook his head. “I can’t believe she did this.”

“Jack, who is she?”

“Can I tell you later? Right now I just want to hold you and feel that you’re alive.”

Ianto smiled, “That’s fine.” With that he slipped into Jack’s arms.

As Jack’s hands started to wander he put a hand on them to still them for a moment.

Looking Jack right in the eye, “Jack are you happy about this?”

Jack sighed, giving Ianto a quick kiss before continuing, “Yes, but I also know how hard this is, how much of a curse it is. I’m not exactly happy you’re now cursed now too, but you said that it was a choice you made. You know how hard it can be, so I have to trust you. Yes I’m happy I have you for as long as I live, despite the consequences.”

Ianto smiled, “Good, let’s go to bed.”

He stood up pulling Jack toward the bedroom.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

_Somewhere in time and space she rested as her one ran around the planet saving things. She felt her heart glow in happiness. Her Jack had a loved one to stay by his side now. She was pleased one had made the choice so early in her Jack’s timeline. She looked forward to seeing her Jack again, to feel this new happiness in him. Yes, this event would change several things for her Jack, all for the better. All because of the choice Ianto Jones made._

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


End file.
